Nitride Semiconductor Device Back-Gate Phenomenon Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices face challenges with enhanced current-voltage characteristics due to the back-gate phenomenon, which increases resistance and affects voltage breakdown and leakage current.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device is designed with a first-conductive-type doping layer between the channel layer and the substrate, and a surrounding second doping layer with a lower concentration, preventing electric field effects and reducing resistance and leakage current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a Schottky diode is used in a power conversion circuit, then the circuit can achieve voltage boosting function, but the back-gate phenomenon causes increased resistance and degraded current-voltage characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
A first-conductive-type doping layer is introduced as an intermediary between the second-conductive-type substrate and the channel layer. This doping layer acts as a mediator that modifies the electric field distribution, preventing excessive electric field concentration at the channel layer-substrate interface while maintaining the Schottky diode's voltage boosting function. The intermediary layer effectively decouples the direct interaction between the channel layer and substrate, reducing the back-gate phenomenon's harmful effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The doping concentration is designed with spatial variation: the first-conductive-type doping layer has a higher doping concentration near the channel layer interface and a lower doping concentration near the substrate interface. This local quality variation optimizes the electric field distribution locally at different positions, preventing electric field concentration at the channel layer interface while maintaining overall device functionality and reducing leakage current.
2Device complexity
If the channel layer is directly formed on the substrate, then the device structure is simple, but electric field concentration occurs causing high leakage current and low breakdown voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The first-conductive-type doping layer serves as an intermediary buffer between the substrate and channel layer, modifying the electric field distribution. This intermediary structure prevents direct electric field concentration at the channel layer-substrate interface, reducing leakage current and improving breakdown voltage while adding minimal structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The doping concentration parameter is optimized to achieve the desired electric field distribution. By controlling the doping concentration in the first-conductive-type doping layer (higher near the channel layer, lower near the substrate), the electric field parameters are modified to prevent concentration effects, reducing harmful electric field intensity without significantly increasing device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances voltage/current characteristics by preventing channel layer depletion and reducing electric field concentration, thereby providing high breakdown voltage and minimizing leakage current.
Implementation Method 1
a back-gate phenomenon whereby a drift layer (or a channel layer) of the Schottky diode D1 is partially depleted due to an electric field caused by a difference in potential between the drift layer of the Schottky diode D1 and a substrate
Implementation Method 2
a second nitride semiconductor layer brought together with the first nitride semiconductor layer to form a first heterojunction interface
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a second conductive type substrate including a first first-conductive-type doping layer and a plurality of devices on the second conductive type substrate, wherein a first device of the devices includes a first nitride semiconductor layer on the first first-conductive-type doping layer, a second nitride semiconductor layer brought together with the first nitride semiconductor layer to form a first heterojunction interface, between the first first-conductive-type doping layer and the first nitride semiconductor layer, a first contact electrically connected to the first heterojunction interface, and a contact connector electrically connecting the first contact to the first first-conductive-type doping layer.